AusRegistry supports the opening of the .au namespace to direct registrations. We take the position that ability to directly register domains at the second level is an expected conclusion to the evolution of the .au namespace.

Gilbert + Tobin is not aware of any demand (from clients or otherwise) for direct registrations. In relation to the Panel’s point 4.5 Gilbert + Tobin agrees that there is a risk that opening up direct registration would compel current trade mark and domain name owners (particularly in the .com.au space) to register the corresponding .au name.

Online Survey Responses

There were 193 of these; and these have been helpfully summarised by auDA: View link here.

Now comes the hard part!

The Names Panel meets this Thursday to discuss these initial responses, and will start formulating some recommendations.

Related

4 thoughts on “Submissions are in”

I think users will be for it (3 less keystrokes), website owners will be against it (redirecting from .com.au to .au) but the key issue is that registrars will sell more domains. So bend over here it comes.

The bottom line is anyone serious about protecting their brand will have another domain name to buy!

Without the change your brand is secure – with it you are exposed, and have to register another name. For those of us with 100’s or even 1000’s of domain names – that is a significant impost.

I fail to see any advantage. In my view this change just serves to line the pockets of those in the business of registering domain names at the expense of diluting the existing value of my portfolio – leave the dam goal posts where they are…please!!!